


Checkers

by DistantStorm



Category: Destiny (Video Games)
Genre: Calus ships Zavala and Hawthorne, Euphemisms, F/M, Season of Opulence, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-05
Updated: 2019-06-05
Packaged: 2020-04-08 13:16:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19107859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DistantStorm/pseuds/DistantStorm
Summary: "I'm glad your libido has made it through the City Age."





	Checkers

**Author's Note:**

> Some of these outlandish references will make more sense if you read the Opulent Stalker Cloak lore on Ishtar Collective here: https://www.ishtar-collective.net/entries/opulent-stalker-cloak
> 
> Seriously though, the Cabal totally ship these two and that's how I feel about it. My shipping goggles are overloaded and I make no apologies.

Ikora slides the tablet over to him, across the table. "How well do you know Cabal runes?" She asks.

Commander Zavala picks up the device without preamble. "Decent enough."

"Let me know what you think of that."

It takes him far longer to read than it took her. She'd worked with the Cryptarchs in decoding a selection of the Scribe tablets they'd received from Guardians returning from the Menagerie. She knows for fact if it were Hive runes they'd be tied for reading speed. He's a quick learner, though she's faster. In any case, she finds his uptake speed rather admirable.

"It's," He swallows, "Blatantly incorrect."

"Clearly," She deadpans in reply, bracing both hands on the table between them. Around them, the command center is quiet, filled with the ambient noise of running CPUs and the hum of emergency channel static. "It's obviously some kind of prophetic propaganda at best. I thought you would find it somewhat amusing. The Cabal's 'Shadows' come for you and you spend your last day playing checkers."

"I…"

Golden eyes narrow. "Something about this bothers you." She sighs. "Don't read too much into it, Zavala. The translations are… wordy, but none of the Cryptarchs think it's worth being concerned about. When I left them, they were... cackling."

Zavala paces, asking instead of answering her, "Are all of these artifacts so…?"

"Romantic? Some." Her eyes lock on his. "Zavala," She frowns again, "Talk to me. This shouldn't upset you… we see similar things all the time. Why are you pacing?"

"'And thus the Titan Zavala did not meet his final death alone,'" He translates, pacing. "Poetic, isn't it?"

"A bit…"

He nods, but it's rigid, even for him. "Have you told Hawthorne?"

"No…" Her eyebrows pull together as she frowns. "I didn't think it was worth worrying her about. It's not legitimate. They're bolstering morale." She watches him set the tablet down and continue to pace. His Ghost hovers nearby, thoughtful. "Have I missed something?"

"I swore you, of all people, knew. You know everything."

"I don't understand. You're not dying, Zavala. No 'Shadow' has come for your head."

He stills. "That isn’t what I’m talking about.”

“Then what-” Her eyes widen for a fraction of a second. It’s been at least two decades since something has surprised her for certain. She rules out the less likely of her theories. “Have you made plans to leave the resistance to Hawthorne?”

“In my,” He half coughs, half gruffs out, “Darker moments, I’d considered it.” He sighs. “But that is not what I mean.”

“You’re-”

“We’re-” 

“Sleeping together,” They finish at the same time.

Ikora grouses. “You could have just said you’re in a relationship with her.”

He looks at her, incredulously. “No. The very next question-”

“It wouldn’t have been a question. But, I’m glad your libido has made it through the City Age,” She quips, with something that, in days past, might have been a laugh. “I wonder if checkers is a euphemism,” She continues.

“Calus, for all we’ve heard of him, might think that’s a necessary trait for a leader,” He answers. “Our Guardian has said he’s a bit… incorrigible.”

“He is that,” Ikora agrees with a dip of her head. “Now, the rest. Bagpipes and synthesizers?”

“You’d be surprised what happens, down in the streets,” He says, shrugging. “She knows how to throw one hell of a Clan mixer.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. The rest?”

“Sentiment, mostly” He replies. “I believe, somehow, they’ve gleaned-”

“Again, Calus is an indulgent S-O-B. But how he knows about this doesn’t make a great deal of sense. Wait-”

“Yes?”

“The rest of it. ‘Root of beers’ and ‘nuggets of chicken.’ That’s not you,” She appraises him. “That much would never be-”

He chuckles. “I’ll admit I wouldn’t have picked such ‘delicacies,’” He quotes, “Initially, but, every once in a while, it’s nice to indulge.”

Ikora can’t help but huff a small laugh of her own at that despite her growing curiosity. She’ll want to investigate this personally. Instead, she muses, “Commander Zavala, drinking root beer and eating chicken nuggets. What would Cayde say?”

Zavala looks down, then away. “Cayde knew.”

“What?” Her head shoots up, incredulously. “He did not.”

“He called it, right out of the gate.” Zavala smiles, wistful. “ We denied it for a long time. Ever wonder why Hawthorne always did most of his strikes for him?”

“Perfectionism,” She mutters, serious and deadpan.

“At first, perhaps. But not always.” Zavala sighs, revealing, “He waltzed into my quarters, unannounced, one evening. We were… ah, playing checkers.”

Ikora picks up the tablet, rolling her eyes. “Of course he did. It amazes me that you got him to keep quiet.”

“Suraya needed to learn anyway,” He admits, “But she always made a fuss about it to him, and he reveled in that sort of thing. It was,” He shakes his head. “You know.”

She nods. “I do.”

“I think he wanted us to have this.” Zavala makes a fist and looks back at her. “Whatever happiness we could have, even if it was just for a little while.”

“Well,” Ikora steps up beside him, “I suppose I’ll have to go on keeping his secret. The Cryptarchs can continue to trip over themselves laughing over bad linguistics.” She gives him a tiny grin. “And you can continue to play checkers, but I had better not catch you.” 


End file.
